Amendment to Crime and Policing Bill: Make it a criminal offence to enable or profit from the prostitution of another person

Tonia Antoniazzi MP's proposed clause Crime and Policing Bill (Westminster) would make it a criminal offence to assist, control, facilitate, or profit from another person’s involvement in prostitution, including through advertising such services online or offline. The offence applies whether or not the third party (such as a website operator or intermediary) directly benefits financially. It also introduces harsher penalties—up to 10 years’ imprisonment—and requires the government to appoint a public body to monitor and enforce online compliance, including the power to seek court-ordered service restrictions against non-compliant platforms.

The amendment is aimed at tackling commercial sexual exploitation by holding accountable those who enable or profit from it, particularly in the digital space. It recognises the role online platforms can play in facilitating exploitation and includes specific obligations for oversight and annual reporting to Parliament to ensure transparency and enforcement.

You can find out more about the amendment here.

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